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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28534782">i'm asking you, cause you know about these things</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/insomnia_anonymous/pseuds/insomnia_anonymous'>insomnia_anonymous</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ain't letting you go [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Arrow (TV 2012), The Flash (TV 2014)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action, Alternate Universe, Angst, Blood, Blood and Injury, Character Development, Eventual Romance, F/F, Feels, Gen, Human Trafficking, Vigilante, also Laurel and Dinah are totally a thing, and will is coming into this eventually don't worry, anger issues, criminals, mia is a mess, or had a crush, she thought she was broken, she's never been in love, so nora is kinda hitting her like a truck, we'll get into that mindset more</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:54:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28534782</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/insomnia_anonymous/pseuds/insomnia_anonymous</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>mia smoak (queen) doesn't do love - nora won't change her.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Earth-2 Laurel Lance &amp; Mia Smoak, Mia Smoak/Nora West-Allen (mentioned)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>ain't letting you go [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1680472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Collection of x-star Works</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i'm asking you, cause you know about these things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <i>enjoy this new entry into my xstar universe. i wanted to build up between mia and nora a bit before diving into their relationship vs my original fics. so we haven't reached dating yet and this is from mia's pov as well. i wanted to give her pov a shot. lemme know how you like it in the comments. </i>
  </p>
</blockquote><i><br/>  <i></i></i><br/><br/>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Mia grunted as her back hit the mat beneath her. She had only just been cleared for more strenuous activities now that she was fully healed, and Laurel was not going easy on her. In fact, judging by her manic grin, Laurel might be enjoying this a little too much. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You like causing me pain,” Mia accused.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Maybe.” Laurel shrugged, bouncing in place with her fists up in front of her. “Or maybe I like teaching you a lesson.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia narrowed her eyes at Laurel as she sat up. So that’s what this was about. Punishment for her fuck up. She supposed she deserved it; the mission was meant to be simple, and instead she ended up with a gunshot wound to her gut. “This is probably the least creative way to punish me for getting shot.” Standing, Mia put her fists up barely in time to block Laurel’s vicious flurry of attacks. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The conversation stalled as Mia focused on not getting hit in the face by Laurel’s fists. She was out of practice; it had been weeks since she’d been shot, and in that time she hadn’t been allowed to train at all. The only thing that had kept her sane were the text conversations between her and Nora — she’d kept her promise, and they’d been talking throughout her recovery. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck,” Mia hissed as Laurels fist connected with her cheek.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re distracted.” Laurel's expression had turned serious. “Focus.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> distracted; Mia wasn’t going to deny that — Nora was distracting. Mia had yet to figure out if anything about it was good or not, but it was new. Shaking her head to try and clear her thoughts, Mia brought her fists back up and got ready. They continued on like this for a while, neither speaking, fists flying, breath heavy and sweat dripping. It was good to get back into it, and Mia loved the way her muscles burned, but she was itching to get on the offensive, so when opportunity presented itself she struck, kicking Laurel’s legs out from underneath her and pinning her to the mat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better?” Mia asked with a smirk, but found herself flipped and pinned on the mat a second later.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If your opponent is conscious, there is always the chance that they can still take you out.” Laurel tightened her grip on Mia when she attempted to get free. “Enough. We’re done for the day.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We only just started,” Mia protested as Laurel stood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You only just got cleared. We don’t need to push it. Now, c’mon.” Laurel held out her hand. “You want to tell me what has you so distracted?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rolling her eyes, Mia took the hand and was yanked onto her feet. “Nothing. It’s nothing,” she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia Smoak didn’t do feelings, and Nora was not changing that — she wasn’t. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>—</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Get laid — that was the mission of the night. And it was going well, if the redhead lavishing Mia’s neck was any indication. Normally this was when Mia would whisper something about finding someplace private, preferably at the other person's place, but tonight she was… distracted, and not by the redhead — Lisa? Lorie? Luna? Fuck, she didn’t remember her name. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Want to get out of here?” The breathy voice startled her, and Mia’s eyes met brown, but her stomach didn’t flip like it had earlier that day when she’d gotten a picture from Nora. The picture wasn’t anything special, Nora’d barely been visible, stretching to fit herself in the frame and pulling a weird face in in front of the weird statue she’d found on campus. Still, Mia had walked around with a smile for hours afterwards, thinking of those brown eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>These weren’t those brown eyes. Fuck. Mia shook her head and frowned. “Sorry. I’ve got to go.” Mia gently extracted herself from the redhead’s embrace and began walking away through the crowd of partiers. It was getting harder to breathe the longer she stayed here. She shoved desperately through the crowd for the door, the cool night air washed over her as she slammed it open. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fumbling, she pulled out a cigarette and lit it. Mia didn’t do love; she never had. Nora wouldn’t change that, wouldn’t change her — she was sure of it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>— </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Crunching bones probably shouldn’t be a soothing sound, but it was cathartic. Mia brought her fist down against the traffickers face four, five more times before letting his collar go. Her father would be ashamed that she wore his hood, used his bow, and took his name. Oliver Queen saved this city, saved the multiverse… He was selfless, but his daughter? She was nothing but an endless pit of rage that used the scum of Star City as punching bags. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia stepped over the unconscious men, stopping in front of a locked door and switching on her voice filter before kicking the door open. Some muffled screams followed, and when she stepped into the room, all the anger she had let loose earlier came back. Throughout the room, groups of chained and gagged women and children stared at her in fear.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s all right.” Raising her hands, she stepped toward them but stopped when she heard two people drop down behind her — she knew those sounds. “Um, sorry, one second.” Turning, Mia came face-to-face with Laurel and Dinah.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Canary here will take care of them.” Laurel nudged Dinah, who nodded and brushed past Mia to get to the chained prisoners. “You — with me. Now.” The cold tone Laurel used nearly made Mia flinch, but she followed as Laurel turned her back and walked out of the abandoned warehouse. It wasn’t until they reached the rickety docks next to the warehouse that Laurel finally turned around and faced her. “What in the hell were you thinking?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>This was expected, but Mia had been hoping to at least get the job done before being chewed out, maybe make it back to the Arrow Cave (such a stupid name) before getting caught, but apparently she wasn’t that lucky. So she didn’t bother responding. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, look at me.” Laurel snapped her fingers in front of Mia’s face, forcing her drifting eyes back to Laurel. “This was beyond reckless; it was plain stupid. Anything could have happened. You had no backup.” With her hands on her hips, Laurel looked a lot like a mom right now, and Mia wondered if this is what her mom would’ve looked like scolding her. “We had a plan—” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you didn’t,” Mia interrupted. “The only thing you all had was a debate over if we should even hit the location or not. Like it didn’t even fucking matter!” It was the wrong thing to say, Mia knew as a shadow passed over Laurel's face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“How </span>
  <em>
    <span>dare</span>
  </em>
  <span> you.” Laurel’s hands were clenched into fists at her side now. “You know that isn’t remotely close to the truth. I don’t know what is going on with you, but whatever it is needs to stop because this isn’t okay. You ruined a perfectly good opportunity to catch the person behind this scheme. Now they’ll set up shop somewhere else, quieter, better hidden, and we won’t be able to help the people they have.” Laurel glanced over Mia’s shoulder. “It’s your turn, D, I’m fucking done.” She knocked into Mia as she stomped away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia could practically feel Dinah’s frown on her back, and she let out a breath. “Let’s have it.” The creaking of wood let her know that Dinah was moving until she came to a stop next to Mia. “C’mon, tell me how stupid I am.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know you aren’t stupid.” Dinah folded her arms but kept her gaze facing the murky ocean water. “What I can’t figure out is why you’d ruin this, because it isn’t like you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everything caught in her throat: Nora, being friends, not knowing what this feeling was, or not wanting to know, the redhead from earlier in the night, how for the first time the crowd of the party didn’t soothe — it suffocated. Mia desperately wanted to let it all out, but if she started she wasn’t sure she’d be able to stop at just those issues. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So instead, she grit her teeth and spat out, “I needed to hit things.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sparring wouldn’t have done it?” Dinah asked, and the softness of her voice made Mia’s skin crawl. She didn’t deserve tenderness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No.” Mia’s tone made it clear that wasn’t up for debate, and Dinah nodded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All right.” Dinah finally turned to face her directly, and Mia felt the way she was being inspected. “I’ll talk to Laurel, try to get her to calm down. But she’s right. Whatever this is that’s wrong, you need to figure it out, and I just hope you know that we’re here for you.” With that, Dinah turned and stalked off in the same direction as Laurel.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia stared at their retreating forms, shoulders tense. Mia didn’t do love — she wouldn’t let Nora change that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>—</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fuck.” Mia grunted as she dropped the pad of gauze when she tried to stem the bleeding from between her knuckles and reach for the tape at the same time. She’d taken her time coming back to the Arrow Cave. It was empty, like she was hoping, when she got back, but that didn’t make patching herself up any easier. “Cocksucking ass fucking—”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You need a hand?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Without thinking, Mia flung the closest thing she could at the voice — a pair of tweezers covered in blood from picking debris from her knuckles. Luckily, Laurel caught them with a raised eyebrow. “You shouldn’t sneak up on people who’ve trained with Nyssa Al Ghul,” Mia deadpanned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you shouldn’t be a dumbass, but here we are.” Laurel smirked, walking forward until she was standing in front of Mia. “All right, give me your hand.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I got it,” Mia grumbled, trying to bend down to grab the dropped gauze, but she was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Kid, just let me help you.” Laurel sighed, and Mia felt how tired she sounded in her bones.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fine.” Mia grunted and held out her hand. She sat in silence as Laurel took a look at her knuckles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jesus, what did you do? Punch a wall?” Laurel snorted as she took in the swollen and split knuckles. Yeah, she had, but Mia wasn’t going to say that. Laurel seemed to pick up on it anyway by her silence. “What the hell is going on with you?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia narrowed her eyes and yanked her hand back. “Nothing.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s not nothing, and you are damn sure I’m not letting you go out again without talking about it if this is the result.” Laurel leveled a steely gaze at Mia as she folded her arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s none of your business, all right?” Mia swallowed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hate to break it to you, kid, but you </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> my business. Whether you like it or not.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Mia didn’t bother fighting when Laurel reached down and grabbed her hand once more. Instead of going for the gauze, Laurel reached for one of the unopened alcohol pads and tore it open with her teeth before pressing around the split knuckles, making Mia hiss. Yeah, maybe she was Laurel’s business — whether it was some weird loyalty to her dead parents or cause she actually cared, Mia wasn’t sure — but that didn’t make any of this easier to talk about.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Still, Laurel was here, even after everything, and Mia had questions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What does… This is stupid.” Mia did her best to avoid looking at Laurel even though she was so close to her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Whatever you’re gonna ask isn’t stupid if it’s bothering you this much.” Laurel kept her eyes on Mia’s knuckle as she wiped at a spot she’d already cleaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“All right, just, don’t fucking laugh.” Mia waited for Laurel to nod before continuing. “What does love feel like? Not— I mean, you know I love Will, but I’ve never. I find people attractive, that’s easy, but I don’t—” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve never been in love?” Laurel asked, and when Mia nodded, she pursed her lips. “Not even a crush or anything?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, at least, I don’t think so. Usually I just sleep with the person and it goes away.” Mia shrugged, keeping her gaze over Laurel's shoulder.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’s not — um. Well, usually it starts with a crush, and you don’t even realize at the time that you’re falling in love,” Laurel began. “You know you like them differently than other people, they make you smile a lot, maybe they make you nervous, give you butterflies in your stomach, palms sweat, you can’t really think around them and so you act like an idiot.” Laurel smiled softly, pausing her cleaning of Mia’s knuckle. “The more you hang out with them, the more that nervous feeling goes away, and it becomes like being best friends, but more. You want to hold their hand, make them smile, know everything about them, and even on their worst days you think they are the most beautiful person in the world.” She stopped and glanced at Mia. “Love, it starts small, and the next thing you know, that person is the only thing on your mind.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was startling how soft Laurel was as she spoke to Mia. She could be soft, Mia knew that, but the way she gazed off into the distance, staring at something that wasn’t there, a small smile on her lips... she looked younger in those moments. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What if I don’t know what I’m feeling?” Mia asked quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s fine. You’re young. Just be honest about it, and don’t break someone's heart unless you have to.” Laurel had a knowing twinkle in her eye that infuriated Mia. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sighed. Mia had never done love — guess Nora changed that.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>
    <br/>
    <i>i want to shout-out <b></b></i>
    <br/>
    <b>
      <br/>
      <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/noreasonatall/pseuds/noreasonatall">@noreasonatall</a>
      <br/>
    </b>
    <br/>
    <i> for beta-ing even this piece - that's right. my supergirl beta even beta'd this for me.</i>
    <br/>
    <i>leave a kudos if you liked it &amp; comment about any changes you thought were better than others! oh, also, check out my <b><a href="https://ins0mnia-an0nym0us-au.tumblr.com/">tumblr</a></b></i>
    <br/>
    <br/>
  </p>
</blockquote></blockquote></div></div>
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